Question 3
Calvin and Hobbes was an immensely popular comic strip. (2) Calvin and Hobbes featured a six-year-old boy and his stuffed tiger. (3) Created by Bill Watterson, an American cartoonist: Calvin and Hobbes ran daily in newspapers across the country from 1985 to 1995. (4) The comic strip depicted Calvin"s wild imaginations and his friendship with Hobbes, while also touching on larger issues of philosophy and the nature of existence. (5) Berkeley Breathed"s Bloom County was another popular comic strip from the time period. (6) One of the main premises of the strip is that Hobbes appears to Calvin as a live tiger much larger than himself, who can speak, think, and move, while to the rest of the world he appears as a small stuffed toy. (7) Watterson"s intent was to compare Calvin"s version of reality with the "grown-up" version, and to invite the reader to decide which is truer. (8) The strip often featured Calvin and Hobbes flying downhill on a wagon, sled, or toboggan, depending on the season. (9) According to Watterson, this device added some physical comedy to the strip. (10) These rides together, they typically ended in spectacular crashes, are also occasions for the two friends to discuss the meaning of life, death, existence, God, and other heavy subjects.
Which of the following is the best revision for the underlined portion of sentence 10? These rides together, they typically ended in spectacular crashes, are also occasions for the two friends to discuss the meaning of life, death, existence, God, and other heavy subjects.
Rationale
Which typically ended in spectacular crashes
The phrase "which typically ended in spectacular crashes" effectively connects the rides with the subsequent discussion, clarifying that the crashes are a characteristic of those rides. This revision enhances the flow of the sentence and provides a clear relationship between the two ideas.
A) typically they
Using "typically they" introduces an unclear subject, making the sentence awkward and confusing. It does not provide a clear connection to the preceding phrase about the rides, leading to ambiguity regarding what "they" refers to.
B) typically
The choice "typically" is incomplete and lacks a subject, resulting in a fragment rather than a complete thought. Without a subject or proper context, it fails to convey the intended meaning related to the rides and their outcomes.
D) it typically
The phrase "it typically" introduces an unclear antecedent, as "it" does not specify what is being referred to. This choice disrupts the flow of the sentence and does not adequately link the rides to the discussions that follow.
Conclusion
The best revision for the underlined portion is "which typically ended in spectacular crashes," as it clearly connects the rides to their outcomes and the subsequent philosophical discussions. The other choices fail to maintain clarity or coherence, leading to confusion about the subject of the sentence. Thus, ensuring a logical flow is vital for the reader's understanding.